DINING OUT:Toasted Bun: A classic coffee shop

Glendale hosts a wonderful group of coffee shops, ranging from Montrose’s City Hall, my morning haunt for the past few years, to Downtown’s Foxy’s, my brother Don Trowbridge’s favorite for ages.

Right in the middle is The Toasted Bun. If you want to know Glendale as it is now and as it has been, the Toasted Bun is a good place to go.

You will know what makes it a classic as soon as you walk in. Open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch, the Toasted Bun is a friendly, comfortable place. For example, if you sit at the counter the people there will say hello, and talk with you. Just like people did in the Glendale I grew up in. They talk about a variety of topics — most notably entertainment, sports and politics — without rancor and with depth. The Toasted Bun is a good place to listen and learn.

You will be served quickly. Hot meals will be hot, and cold ones cold.

Your server will really know what she is doing, as will the cook, who you can watch. Because everything is made to order, and made from fresh ingredients, you can get your meal just the way you want it. Prices are reasonable. For example, a bottomless cup of coffee is $1.45.

The walls are adorned with old pictures of Glendale, as well as portraits of the regulars. Lots of patrons are regulars and many have lived in Glendale for a long time. Among them are a cross-section of Glendale — a pediatrician and a handyman, a city councilman (who I still call mayor) and a barber, musicians, salespeople, families with little children and retirees from many jobs. You also see people reading two newspapers, one in English and one of the many other languages also spoken in the city, such as Spanish, Chinese, Armenian or Korean.

For this review, I went in early on a Monday. I took my daughter, Catherine, who was just back from school in St. Louis. She ordered the two eggs plate, which comes with fried potatoes and toast ($5). The eggs were poached just the way she asked — firm whites, liquid yolks. Same with the toast, as she likes it unbuttered.

Feeling the earliness of the day and excesses of the holidays already, I just had coffee. Just the way I like it. I like regular milk in my coffee, not the nondairy stuff and not half and half. No problem.

The menu features traditional coffee shop fare. A good example of the breakfasts is the 2 X 2 X 2 meal, which includes two eggs, made to order, two strips of bacon or sausage and two pancakes ($5).

Of course, there also are pancakes, steak and eggs, thick hot oatmeal and a variety of breakfast combinations.

In addition, there are a half dozen internationally influenced breakfasts, such as huevos rancheros with a homemade salsa. Lunches range from soups to salads, burgers to BLTs.

You can get a real milkshake made on one of these green and chrome mixers right out of “Happy Days.” Plus, there is always a special.

This day, it was grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy (or rice) and steamed vegetables, with a soup and a salad for $8.

This is a classic coffee shop, well worth a visit.